Servicing brakes -- questions!

[nicktheviking]

OK, so my first attempt at a brake job on the spider.

1. Passenger front caliper piston boot fell off promptly. Eek, time to order a caliper rebuild kit.

2. Realized I don't have a c-clamp sitting around. ARGH. Have to wait until I can get one or rent a piston retractor.

3. How on EARTH do you get at the caliper bracket bolts? The suspension stuff is right there in the way, I couldn't even get a crescent wrench in there.

4. How do you un-do those pesky hub holding bolts on the front? Everytime I try to un-wrench them, the hub turns! I tried using my feet as an anchor, no dice.

Please help me. I don't want to die because my brake pads and discs haven't been replaced since the French revolution.

[kmead]

1. Rubber boots can be put back on without rebuilding. Is the caliper dragging, leaking or otherwise behaving poorly? If not then don't fool with a good thing. Unlike other rubber products this one can be reused....

2. You can use a pair of welding type vice grips or even a squeeze clamp for wood working.

3. Like most bolts the proper socket will make this a very easy job. I would go to Sears and pick up a complete set, it won't cost you that much and will make most jobs pretty easy. On a Fiat a 3/8 rachet will serve you well. Deep sockets are nice but not needed most of the time. Buy the right tools you will be happier. By the way the socket for that bolt is a 17mm as I recall.

4. The hub holding bolts are easily dealt with by putting one or two wheel bolts back in and then putting a wrench or other suitable length of material between them to keep the wheel from turning. Depending on the year the bolts are likely 12mm.

You won't die from them being old, you will die from them not working...

[ventura ace]

Good replies. To add a few more:

You don't need to remove the Hub nuts to service the brakes. They hold the hub and front wheel bearings in place, with proper preload on the bearings, and are secured by crimping a thin wall section of the hub nut into a groove on the hub axle. If you should decide to remove them, you'll need to uncrimp the hub nuts. The passenger side hub nuts is left hand thread, and the driver side is right hand thread.

If you are referring to the 2 bolts that hold each rotor and rotor spacer in place, you don't need to remove them either, unless you are resurfacing or replacing the rotors.

I agree that you should by some proper tools, and obtain a shop manual or two for reference. This is good advice for any job. If you would like my help, I'm not to far from you, here in Ventura.

Alvon

[nicktheviking]

Thanks for the feedback.

I am replacing the rotors. Yes, my question was about the rotor retaining nuts.

The boot for the caliper piston was shredded, that's why I cannot reuse it.

It was my own fault for forgetting I didn't have a spare C-clamp lying around!

[ventura ace]

The rotor/spacer retainers on my spider have a 12mm head, and are easy to round off if you aren't careful. I usually use a 12mm brake line wrench, since it has 6 sides, as opposed to a regular closed in wrench that is a 12 point (the 6 point is less likely to round off the bolt). I put the wrench over the fastener and make sure that it is square on, then wrap the wrench with a hammer. This is usually good enough to get them loose.

Alvon

[So Cal Mark]

how do you wrap a hammer around a wrench? is it a rubber hammer?

[mdrburchette]

Mark, I thought you were a mechanic. Even I know how to wrap a hammer around a wrench!

[ventura ace]

. . ., then wrap the wrench with a hammer. . . .

Ooops. Got carried away with the dubya's. They're all silent anyway!!

A

[nicktheviking]

The rotor/spacer retainers on my spider have a 12mm head, and are easy to round off if you aren't careful. I usually use a 12mm brake line wrench, since it has 6 sides, as opposed to a regular closed in wrench that is a 12 point (the 6 point is less likely to round off the bolt). I put the wrench over the fastener and make sure that it is square on, then wrap the wrench with a hammer. This is usually good enough to get them loose.

Alvon

Neat trick, I'll remember it.

[nicktheviking]

After having discovered 2 broken bleeder screws, I've decided to simply overhaul the brake system.

I ordered 4 new rotors, new pads, 4 reman calipers and am going to order a SS brake line kit.

Is there anything I should know before replacing everything? Can I just remove a brake line to empty the brake fluid?

[So Cal Mark]

the left front will gravity bleed, but not the other 3 wheels (at least not completely). You'll have to flush the system to change all of the old fluid.

[nicktheviking]

the left front will gravity bleed, but not the other 3 wheels (at least not completely). You'll have to flush the system to change all of the old fluid.

I'm more concerned about brake fluid getting everywhere when I change the lines. Thanks!

[So Cal Mark]

drain pans!